1. Field of the Invention
This invention has to do with the harvesting of legumes, such as, peas, lima beans, broad beans as well as other types of beans sometimes hereinafter referred to as seeds. More specifically, this invention is an apparatus that is normally transported through a field to "shell" legumes as they are being harvested. The core of the apparatus is a rotary brush-like threshing means having projecting tines or rods that are vibrated at a predetermined adjustable frequency. The rods intercept the flow of the vine mass and legumes in their pods through the harvesting/threshing machine and impart positive and negative acceleration in the mass such that the seeds impact against the restraining pod and break the pod such that the seeds are separated from the pods and can thereafter be separated by gravity, or a mechanical separator, for subsequent collection. The rods also contact some pods with impact forces that tend to split or break the pods.
2. Brief Description of the Known Art
Legume harvesters have traditionally relied on impact forces to separate the seeds from the pods or casings. Many legume harvesters include beaters, paddles or rotary mounted flat surfaces that impact or swat the legume containing mass of vines and pods. This impact forces the pods to fracture and thus release the contained seeds. These rotary beater machines are effective but will cause some damages to a certain portion of the crop due to bruising, splitting or pulverizing of the product. In this type of beater machine the pods may be subjected to six or more impacts per cycle with the beaters. This high incidence of impacts increases the chance that free peas, for instance, will be struck by a beater and damaged. Harvesting and threshing means of this general type, that is, of the type having beaters, are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,709,231 and 3,771,531.
A tomato harvester incorporates a shaker section having a forced balanced drive for use in shaking fingers like the apparatus disclosed herein. The tomato harvester is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,570 which is assigned to the same assignee as this application.